Kofi Annan Quotes and Writings

Kofi Annan was the first black African Secretary-General of the United Nations. He passed on at 80 years on August 18, 2018. He was a celebrated African known for his efforts and work to ensure global peace.

We are bringing you to notable Kofi Annan quotes, thoughts and writings.

We may have different religions, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race.

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.

When women thrive all of society benefits and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

Peace is never a perfect achievement.

Knowledge is power. Information is liberating. Education is the premise of progress, in every society, in every family.

It has been said that arguing against globalization is like arguing against the laws of gravity.

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there.

Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy and sustainable human development.

More countries have understood that women’s equality is a prerequisite for development.

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole – women and men alike – than the one which involves women as central players.

Business, labor and civil society organizations have skills and resources that are vital in helping to build a more robust global community.

The Lord had the wonderful advantage of being able to work alone.

We need to keep hope alive and strive to do better.

If information and knowledge are central to democracy, they are conditions for development.

We have the means and the capacity to deal with our problems, if only we can find the political will.

Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive. It knows no boundaries of geography, culture or wealth. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.

If one is going to err, one should err on the side of liberty and freedom.

I am often asked what can people do to become a good global citizen. I reply that it begins in your own community.

Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and each of us has a role to play in preserving them. If we are to go on living together on this earth, we must all be responsible for it.

Invite politicians to dinner and let them tell the world how delicious it is. They will proudly go around and say, ‘I ate crickets, I ate locusts, and they were delicious.

The happiness of any society begins with the well-being of the families that live in it.

You are never too young to lead.

The world is not ours to keep. We hold it in trust for future generations.

There is no trust more sacred than the one the world holds with children. There is no duty more important than ensuring that their rights are respected, that their welfare is protected, that their lives are free from fear and want and that they can grow up in peace.

The problem is this. The spread of markets outpaces the ability of societies and their political systems to adjust to them, let alone to guide the course they take.

Hope: We need to keep hope alive and strive to do better.

Women: Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

There is no development strategy more beneficial to society as a whole – women and men alike – than the one which involves women as central players.”

More countries have understood that women’s equality is a prerequisite for development.”

In the rush for justice it is important not to lose sight of principles the country holds dear.”

We cannot wait for governments to do it all. Globalization operates on Internet time. Governments tend to be slow moving by nature, because they have to build political support for every step.”

UN-From this vision of the role of the United Nations in the next century flow three key priorities for the future: eradicating poverty, preventing conflict and promoting democracy.”

More than ever before in human history, we share a common destiny. We can master it only if we face it together. And that, my friends, is why we have the United Nations.”

Human rights -Today, no walls can separate humanitarian or human rights crises in one part of the world from national security crises in another. What begins with the failure to uphold the dignity of one life all too often ends with a calamity for entire nations.”

The United Nations, whose membership comprises almost all the states in the world, is founded on the principle of the equal worth of every human being.”

In the 21st century, I believe the mission of the United Nations will be defined by a new, more profound awareness of the sanctity and dignity of every human life, regardless of race or religion.”

No Nukes- Above all else, we need a reaffirmation of political commitment at the highest levels to reducing the dangers that arise both from existing nuclear weapons and from further proliferation.”

We need to think of the future and the planet we are going to leave to our children and their children.

Gender equality is more than a goal in itself. It is a precondition for meeting the challenge of reducing poverty, promoting sustainable development and building good governance.

Kofi Annan served as the Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006.